Brussels, 12/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - The 'Club européen de la santé', the European Cervical Cancer Association, and the ECCIG (European Cervical Cancer Interest Group, a group of MEPs) held a lunch briefing at the European Parliament on 7 November 2007 to discuss cervical cancer, a disease affecting the neck of the uterus that kills 15,000 women a year in the European Union. The MEPs around Jolanta Dickute (Lithuanian Liberal MEP) who chairs the ECCIG, feel the message is clear - greater screening and vaccination of young women should be carried out.
Professor Sergio Percorelli of Brescia University in Italy explained that 68,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the EU each year (and 500,000 around the world). This varies widely, with the smallest incidence in Finland and the highest in Slovenia. Human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, does not mutate much. 70% of adults come into contact with one of its variants during their life but the virus generally disappears of its own accord. There is a vaccine against four variants which provides 75% protection but does not eliminate the need for screening and early treatment if necessary. Dr Francoise Hamers, who presented the guidelines currently being drawn up at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, also stressed the importance of systematic screening. While vaccination of pre-pubescent girls is effective, data on vaccination after the age of 26 has not yet been analysed. Screening has made it possible to slash the number of women dying of cervical cancer over a decade, by 42% in the UK and more than 50% in Austria. Only 7 EU member states (Finland, Austria, UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Slovenia and Hungary) have set up comprehensive national screening programmes.
Marija Sejlak, Slovenia's Director General for Public Health, said that Slovenia hoped the Council would adopt conclusions before the end of the Slovenian presidency on 30 June 2008. She said the fight against cervical cancer should take a four-pronged approach: 1) information, prevention and vaccination; 2) screening following the 2003 recommendation on cervical, breast and colon cancer - Philippe Brunet, the head of cabinet for European Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou, is preparing a report for next year on how the recommendations are being implemented; 3) joined-up treatment; and 4) greater cooperation in cancer research. (O.J.)